Valtteri Bottas addresses Cadillac rumours with F1 future under threat

Valtteri Bottas has dismissed speculation surrounding his F1 future at Cadillac, despite growing uncertainty over his position at the American team for 2027.

Bottas holds a contract for next season, but his performances relative to team-mate Sergio Perez have raised questions over whether Cadillac could make a change to its driver line-up.

Perez has consistently outperformed Bottas in the sister MAC-26, holding an 11-4 advantage in grands prix where both drivers have reached the chequered flag.

Although both drivers signed multi-year agreements when joining the new team, Cadillac team principal Marcin Budkowski has refused to guarantee that its current pairing will remain unchanged.

Speaking during the United States Grand Prix weekend, Budkowski acknowledged interest from drivers seeking opportunities for next season.

"As a team principal, and I'm sure it's the same with my colleagues, you're getting calls and contacts from every driver or driver manager that is on the market," Budkowski said in the team representatives' press conference on Friday.

"So, there are a number of drivers and managers who have contacted me. I'm not going to say who it is or who it isn't, but pretty much all of them that are on the market have been in touch, as you'd expect.

"But I think it's the last place [here in the press conference], as you can imagine, where I would communicate anything on the driver line-up. My marketing and communications department would kill me if I did that."

Asked about the contractual situation, he added: "Again, this is the last place I would comment on driver contracts, and in general, I think it's not something that is done in the press.

"It's something which will be done by official releases from the team when the time is right."

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Bottas faces growing competition for Cadillac seat

As previously reported by RacingNews365, Esteban Ocon and his management have explored a potential move to Cadillac following confirmation of his departure from Haas.

The Frenchman previously worked with Budkowski at Alpine and could offer Cadillac another experienced grand prix winner.

Cadillac reserve driver Colton Herta is also under consideration, with the American manufacturer's owners keen on his potential.

Herta is closing in on the 40 superlicence points required to compete in F1, and Budkowski has confirmed the nine-time IndyCar winner has just one further point to claim, despite his underwhelming campaign in F2.

Yuki Tsunoda is another driver understood to be exploring an opportunity, having lost his Red Bull race seat last year, whilst Liam Lawson's representatives have also made exploratory contact amid uncertainty surrounding the New Zealander's Racing Bulls future.

Despite the growing interest, Cadillac is understood to be taking a cautious approach to any potential change.

Bottas, meanwhile, remains unconcerned by the speculation surrounding his future.

Asked whether the rumours were proving distracting after qualifying, the Finnish driver replied to media, including RacingNews365: "No, no.

"I've heard some rumours, but I know my situation, and it's all good. It's Formula 1. Everyone wants to be in Formula 1, so that's how it goes."

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Bottas confident over Cadillac future

Bottas remained similarly unperturbed after the race, despite suffering a late retirement, his eighth of the season.

Asked whether he had received assurances over his place at Cadillac for 2027, the 10-time grand prix winner pointed to the terms of his existing agreement.

"Yes. I mean, last year when I signed, I know the terms, so that's all," he said.

Pressed on whether he could envisage any scenario in which he would not be racing for Cadillac next season, Bottas leaned on an old idiom to make his point.

"It is Formula 1, you know? If cows [pigs] could fly... Anything can always happen in this sport," he said.

"But for now, they seem happy with what they're getting out of me. So I think that's all that matters."